1. Technical Field
The subject invention relates to leak and puncture proof receptacles for contaminated medical or otherwise hazardous wastes, or etiological agents and in particular, to such containers which are adapted to receive, store, ship and destroy medical wastes such as used needles, syringes, scalpels, clinical specimens, medical and biological devices or etiological agents.
2. Description of The Prior Art
One of the major problems facing the medical community today is the safe and proper disposition of used needles, syringes, scalpel blades, etc., commonly referred to as "sharps". In view of the risk of contracting various blood and body fluid borne diseases, it is standard procedure for medical personnel today to quickly dispose of sharps shortly after they have been used. In addition, the safe, proper disposal of clinical specimens, and medical or biological devices pose the same type of disease control problems. To that end, many container based disposal systems are known in the prior art and are presently employed in hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories to meet this need. Examples of the state of the art of such containers can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,466,538 issued to Gianni on Aug. 21, 1984 for a Hypodermic Needle Disposal System; 4,494,652 issued to Nelson et al. on Jan. 22, 1985 for a Container For Sharps; 4,576,281 issued to Kirksey on Mar. 18, 1986 for a Disposable Syringe Needle Separation and Storage Box; 4,715,498 issued to Hanifl on Dec. 29, 1987 for a Sharps Disposal System; 4,667,821 issued to Shillington on May 26, 1987 for a Swivel Top Closure For Phlebotomy Container; and 4,972,950 issued to Shillington on Nov. 27, 1990 for a Secure Disposable Container Assembly.
Medical waste, including used sharps, clinical specimens, as well as medical and biological devices is typically disposed of by incineration. Large hospitals and medical complexes often have their own incinerators to handle the large volume of medical wastes they produce. Such institutions typically have procedures for the collection of medical waste containers and transportation from their point of origin to the incinerator.
However, small hospitals, clinics and rural medical facilities often do not have waste incineration facilities on site and must rely on waste haulers to dispose of this medical waste. In recent years state and federal governments have enacted regulations governing the disposal of contaminated medical wastes such as sharps, clinical specimens and medical or biological devices. Such regulations may provide for the disposal of medical waste into the main stream of conventional, non-toxic waste disposal systems, such as landfills only when the waste is properly contained. Further some medical waste generators have been required to ship their waste to authorized incinerators to comply with such regulations.
In addition to the generation of medical wastes from classic sources such as hospitals and clinics, contaminated sharps in need of proper disposal are generated by millions of people who are authorized to give themselves injections of prescribed drugs in their own homes. For example, diabetics often self administer two or more injections of insulin daily, each time using a different needle and syringe. Contaminated medical waste generated in such an environment is generally not properly contained but often finds its way into the local landfills, contrary to state and federal regulation.
While the medical waste containers of the prior art and specifically those cited above all solve other problems of the prior art and are capable of receiving used sharps, none are leak proof and puncture proof such that they may be safely and routinely transported, shipped by a common carrier, or sent through the mail from their point of origin to an incinerator or landfill. Further, none are specifically adapted to be employed by non-medical personnel, such as diabetics, in non-medical environments. Thus, there is a need for a container for disposing of medical wastes such as sharps, clinical specimens and medical or biological devices and etiological agents which is leak and puncture proof and which may be routinely shipped through the mail or other carrier, which can be routinely employed by non-medical personnel or the general public, without the need for otherwise special precautions and which is adapted to be incinerated or otherwise disposed of along with its contents.